Hand-propelled wheeled carriers



June 29, 1965 1. e. MEIKLEJOHN HAND-PROPELLED WHEELED CARRIERS Filegl July 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor MN 6. ME/AL Edd/{IV Attorney June 29, 1965 G. MEIKLEJOHN 7 HAND-PROPELLED WHEELED CARRIERS Filed July 18, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor /AN 6 Mam 15mm By A ttorn e y United States Patent O 3,191,957 HAND-FROPELLED WHEELED CARRIERS Ian G. Meiklejohn, Fife, Scotland, assignor to I. G. Meiklejohn & Company Limited, Fife, Scotland, in British company Filed July 18, 1963, Ser. No. 296,127 Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 21), 1962,

7 Claims. (Cl. 28036) This invention relates to a hand-propelled wheeled carrier, especially but not exclusively a golf-bag carrier,

having an elongated sloped spinal member adapted to support the load, for example a golf bag, and a pair of ground-engaging wheels having mounted thereon the sloped spinal member which has its lower end engageable with the ground to co-operate with the wheels in forming a stable ground support for the carrier when the latter is stationary.

The object of the present invention is to provide in a carrier as aforesaid a simple, comfortable lightweight seating device for use when the carrier is stationary.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a top perspective View of the seating device in operative position on a handpropelled wheeled golf-bag carrier, with the bag shown in broken lines mounted on the spinal member of the carrier; FIGS. 2 and 3 are detail side views respectively of top and bottom connections between the seating device and the spinal member; FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the seating device in operative position on the carrier; FIG. 5

is a detail view on the line V-V of FIG. 4; and FIG. 6 is a top perspective view showing the seating device collapsedto a stowed position against the bag on the carrier.

Referring to the drawings:

A seating device 1 is mounted on a hand-propelled wheeled golf-bag carrier having an elongated frameworkin the form of a sloped tubular spine 2 to which the bag 3 is releasably secured by straps 4 and 5, a bagsupporting fork 6 at the lower end of the spine, a pair of wheeled leg structures 7 and 8 pivotally mounted on the spine 2, a pivotal handle 9 on the spine, and an inverted U-shaped or wishbone strut 10 of spring-steel wire pivotally connected at the apex of the wishbone to the handle 9 and pivotally connected at the extremities of the U-limbs with the respective leg structures 7 and 8. Pivoting of the handle 9 causes movement of the leg structures 7 and 8 between a collapsed position alongside the spine 2 and an extended position in which the wheels form with the lower end of the spine 2 a stable three-point ground support for the stationary carrier.

The seating device 1 is mounted at the side of the spine 2 remote from the leg structures '7 and 8, and consists of upper and lower transverse substantially U-shaped frames 11 and 12 of spring-steel round-section wire, the frame bases being straight and the frame limbs being outwardly bowed as shown clearly in FIG; 4, and a horizontal seat in the form of a flexible rectangular cloth sheet 13 located over the spine 2, extending laterally from the spine about midway of the spine length, and linking the frame bases which extend through loops formed by seaming the front and rear edges of the sheet 13, the upper frame 11 being connected to the rear edge of the sheet, and the lower frame 12 being connected to the front edge of the sheet. Thus the frame bases are pivotally connected to the seat portion. The limbs of the frames have inturned ends 11A and 12A which are sprung into and are rotatable in cylindrical sockets in the ends of cylindrical cross rods 14 and 15 carried by grains? Patented dune 29, 1965 screw-operable clamps 16 and 17 releasably secured to the spine 2 at upper and lower positions on the spine, a pair of sockets being indicated at 14A in FIG. 5. Each clamp 16, 17 consists of a U-member with aligned apertures 18 (FIG. 5) in the side walls 19 forming bearings slidably supporting the cross rod, and a bolt 20 extending through the base of the U-mernber and engaging a nut 21 which is locked by the side walls of the U-member against rotation. The end of the bolt shank engages a head 22 which abuts the spine 2 so that tightening of the bolt 21 causes clamping of the cross rod against the spine and so secures the cross rod to the spine following lateral and vertical adjustment of the cross rod to the position shown. It will be noted that the lower cross rod 15 is spaced upwardly from the lower end of the spine 2.' The top cross rod 14 is located at the wheel side of the spine, while the bottom cross bar 15 is located at the seat side of the spine and has threaded thereon a leather bridge piece 23 which covers the outer ends of the side walls of the U-member to prevent any chafing of the golf bag against said ends. The lengths and relative dispositions of the frames 11 and 12 are such that with the upper frame 11 extending downwards and forwards from the sloped spine 2 to suspend the rear end of the seat portion, the lower frame 12 slopes upwards and forwards from the sloped spine 2, and the flexible sheet 13 is substantially horizontal, being disposed over the spine so that the centre of gravity of the load on the sheet 13 is approximately directly above the ground-engaging lower end ofthe spine 2 when the user is sitting generally upright. The inturned ends of the frame limbs rotatably engaging in the sockets in the ends of the cross rods provide for pivoting of the frames, and by resiliently splaying the limbs, the ends can be removed from the sockets, thereby enabling removal of the frames and sheet from the cross rods for stowage.

In use of the seating device 1, the bag 3 extends through the frames 11, 12 (FIG. 1), and the upper or suspension frame 11 and the flexible sheet 13 are under tension, while the lower frame 12 is under compression and thus serves as a spring strut which contributes to the comfort of the seating device. The seating device is readily collapsed to a stowed position by removing the bag 3 and pivoting the frames 11 and 12 towards the spine so that the frames and sheet 13 lie close to the spine 2.

In one alternative method of stowing, the frames 11, 12 and sheet 13 are collapsed against the bag, the lower frame 12 passing within the end of the upper frame 11 and the sheet 13 being folded, as shown in FIG. 6. v

In another alternative method, the frames 11, 12 are sprung out of their pivotal connections with the cross rods and together with the sheet 13 are removed from the carrier for separate stowage.

I claim:

1. A hand-propelled wheeled carrier having an elongated sloped spinal member adapted to support the load, for example a golf bag, and a pair of ground-engaging wheels having mounted thereon the sloped spinal member which has its lower end engageable with the ground to co-operate with the wheels in forming a stable ground support for the carrier when the latter is stationary, said carrier embodying a collapsible seating device comprising a pair of cross members connected to the sloped spinal member at spaced locations along same, the lower cross member being spaced upwardly from the lower end of the spinal member, a substantially horizontal seat portion including a flexible sheeet located over the sloped spinal member, a pair of laterally spaced suspension members connected at their lower ends to the rear of the seat portion and pivotally connected at their upper ends to the ends of the upper cross member so as to lie one on each side of the load, and a pair of laterally spaced strut members connected at their upper ends to the front of the seat portion and pivotally connected at their lower ends to the ends of the lower cross member so as to extend to each side of the load, the suspension and strut members being capable of pivoting to cause collapse of the seating device to a stowed position adjacent to the spinal member.

2. The carrier according to claim 1, wherein the strut members are resiliently yieldable to provide a spring seat.

3. The carrier according to claim 2, wherein the cross members are detachably connected to the spinal member to enable removal of the seating device from the spinal member.

4. A hand-propelled wheeled carrier of the kind having an elongated sloped spinal member adapted to support the load, for example a golf bag, and a pair of groundengaging wheels having mounted thereon the sloped spinal member which has its lower end engageable with the ground to co-operate with the Wheels in forming a stable ground support for the carrier when the latter is stationary, said carrier embodying a seating device comprising a pair of cross members connected to the spinal member at spaced locations along same, the lower cross member being spaced upwardly from the lower end of the spinal member and each cross member having recesses in its ends, a substantially horizontal seat of flexible sheet material located over the spinal member, an upper resiliently deformable U-frame with its base connected to the rear of the seat and with inturned portions at the upper ends of its limbs pivotally engaging in the recesses in the ends of the upper cross member so that the limbs form tension members which with the U-base support the rear of the seat, and a lower, resiliently deformable inverted U-frame with its base connected to the front of the seat and with inturned portions at the lower ends of its limbs pivotally engaging in the recesses in the ends of the lower cross member so that the limbs form spring strut members which with the U-base support the front of the seat, the seating device being collapsible to stowed position adjacent to the spinal member on pivoting the U-frames, and the limbs of the U-frarnes being resiliently splayable apart to detach the U-frames from their cross members.

5. The wheeled carrier according to claim 4, wherein one U-frame is capable of passing within the other on pivoting the U-frames towards each other, thereby enabling collapse of the seating device to stowed position.

6. The wheeled carrier according to claim 4, wherein the cross members are carried by screw-operable clamps which with the cross members embrace the spinal member and are releasable to enable removal of the seating device from the spinal member.

7. A seating device for a hand-propelled wheeled carrier having an elongated sloped spinal member adapted to support the load, for example a golf bag, and a pair of ground-engaging wheels having mounted thereon the sloped spinal member which has its lower end engageable with the ground to co-operate with the Wheels in forming a stable ground support for the carrier when the latter is stationary, said seating device comprising a pair of cross members adapted for connection to the spinal member at spaced upper and lower locations along same and each having recesses in its ends, a seat of flexible sheet material, a first resiliently deformable U-frame with its base connected to one end of the seat and with inturned portions at the ends of its limbs pivotally engaging in the recesses in one of said cross members, and a second resiliently deformable U-frame with its base connected to the other end of the seat and with inturned portions at the ends of its limbs pivotally engaging in the recesses in the other of said cross members, the limbs of each U-rrame being resiliently splayablc apart ot detach the U-frame from its cross member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,858,140 10/58 Stamp 280-36 2,957,700 10/60 Beaurline 28047.24X

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HAND-PROPELLED WHEELED CARRIER HAVING AN ELONGATED SLOPED SPINAL MEMBER ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE LOAD, FOR EXAMPLE A GOLF BAG, AND A PAIR OF GROUND-ENGAGING WHEELS HAVING MOUNTED THEREON THE SLOPED SPINAL MEMBER WHICH HAS ITS LOWER END ENGAGEABLE WITH THE GROUND TO CO-OPERATE WITH THE WHEELS IN FORMING A STABLE GROUND SUPPORT FOR THE CARRIER WHEN THE LATTER IS STATIONARY, SAID CARRIER EMBODYING A COLLAPSIBLE SEATING DEVICE COMPRISING A PAIR OF CROSS MEMBERS CONNECTED TO THE SLOPED SPINAL MEMBER AT SPACED LOCATIONS ALONG SAME, THE LOWER CROSS MEMBER BEING SPACED UPWARDLY FROM THE LOWER END OF THE SPINAL MEMBER, A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL SEAT PORTION INCLUDING A FLEXIBLE SHEET LOCATED OVER THE SLOPED SPINAL MEMBER, A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED SUSPENSION MEMBERS CONNECTED AT THEIR LOWER ENDS TO THE REAR OF THE SEAT PORTION AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THEIR UPPER ENDS TO THE ENDS OF THE UPPER CROSS MEMBER SO AS TO LIE ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE LOAD, AND A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED STRUT MEMBERS CONNECTED AT THEIR UPPER ENDS TO THE FRONT OF THE SEAT PORTION AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THEIR LOWER ENDS TO THE ENDS OF THE LOWER CROSS MEMBER SO AS TO EXTEND TO EACH SIDE OF THE LOAD, THE SUSPENSION AND STRUT MEMBERS BEING CAPABLE OF PIVOTING TO CAUSE COLLAPSE OF THE SEATING DEVICE TO A STOWED POSITION ADJACENT TO THE SPINAL MEMBER. 